Effective use of gantt chart for managing large scale projects

The construction industry is a very complex segment of any economy and is often faced with many challenges. One of the most complex challenges confronted by today's project managers is cost controlling and project schedule overruns. A well organized project planning and cost control system is needed. An effective cost and schedule control system must be established in order to deliver tlie construction projects on time and within the budget. Such a system should provide the information needed for the whole project team so that the actual performance can be compared to planned performative in a format that will provide a valid, timely picture of the project status, while problem areas that require particular attention can be isolated and looked into individually. To manage a project effectively, you need to communicate and distribute project information. The objective of this article is to look into the effective use of MS-Project's Gantt Chart in the planning and scheduling process of project management. Gantt charts are simple to understand and easy to construct and are a powerful visual tools for managing projects. The project chosen to illustrate the effectiveness of a Gantt chart is a 66kV transmission substation project. Tins involved the construction of three substations, procurement and installation of switchgear, transformers, associated controls, protection, and cabling works up to the energizing of the substations.